Almost half of the cocaine imported to the United States now passes through Honduras — a total of 20 to 25 tons each month, according to U.S. and Honduran estimates, as the country becomes the western hemisphere’s cocaine hub.

The drug trade in Honduras is changing the country in various ways, enriching wealthy landowners along the Atlantic coast and increasing violence in the north as local gangs transporting drugs develop armies of street dealers, contributing to a homicide rate that rivals Kabul, Afghanistan.

As Frank documents, Obama has “allocated $45 million in new funds for military construction, including expansion and improvement of the jointly operated Soto Cano Air Force Base at Palmerola (supplied now with US drones) and has opened three new military bases.” “Police and military funding,” Frank continues, “almost $10 million for 2011, rose dramatically in June with $40 million more under the new $200 million Central American Regional Security Initiative, supposedly to combat drug trafficking in Central America.”

The really sad part will be when they use the drug trade to justify even greater military aid to Hondurus. We'll soon be told we need to spend millions and millions more on more bases in Hondurus to 'control the flow of drugs'. That's what's next. Fully predictable since its exactly what we've been doing in Colombia for decades now.

Yes, important to "control" the flow of drugs. If the CIA doesn't "control" the flow, they can't very well use its "benefits" to help control the more important things, can they? I've seen that phrase in official pronouncements before, but the real meaning didn't really dawn on me till you put it in quotes. Thanks.